The popularity of the Dutch royal family has gone down compared to previous years and support for the monarchy has taken a significant hit as well, the annual King’s Day survey by Ipsos for broadcaster NOS has shown.

At the end of last year trust in the king had  plummeted to an all-time low of  47% from 76% in April, following a series of coronavirus related blunders.

A summer holiday snap showed the king and queen Máxima in close proximity to a Greek shopkeeper while a subsequent holiday to Greece in the autumn, when the population was told not to travel abroad, also provoked much criticism.

The family broke off the holiday but further controversy ensued when it turned out two of their daughters has stayed behind. Willem-Alexander’s purchase of a €2m motor boat was also deemed insensitive.

Nearly six months on trust in the king has climbed to 57% but this is still lower than in previous years.

Three quarters of the respondents also feel that the allowance of €1.6m which princess Amalia will receive from her 18th birthday is too steep.

Queen Máxima, for years the most popular member of the royal family, also went down in the public’s estimation. Some 68% said they were happy with her performance, compared to 83% last year.

Support for the monarchy as an institution has gone down too. In 2020 75% of those polled were in favour of the monarchy but this this year only 58% wants a royal family. Almost a quarter of the respondents would like to see the Netherlands turn into a republic, up 10% on last year. Young people in particular said it time for a change.

A surprising outcome in the light of the criticism, NOS said, is the percentage of people who want the king to revert to a more active role in the cabinet formation process. Support for giving the king more say has gone up from 33% last year to 41% in the latest survey.